


Where We Belong

by Haruka_Malayo



Category: Pocket Monsters | Pokemon (Anime), Pocket Monsters | Pokemon - All Media Types
Genre: AAML - Freeform, Cerulean City, Community: pokeprompts, F/M, Fluff, Kanto-chihou | Kanto, Snow
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-01-19
Updated: 2015-01-19
Packaged: 2018-03-08 05:18:12
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,604
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3196784
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Haruka_Malayo/pseuds/Haruka_Malayo
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Ash may travel around the world, but he never forgets where his heart is the warmest.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Where We Belong

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Stern](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Stern/gifts).



> For the Pokeprompts Secret Stantler Exchange 2014.

Christmas was Misty Waterflower’s favorite time of year.

She sat at the kitchen table, drinking a cup of hot chocolate while watching the sky. It hadn’t started snowing yet, but she assumed it would begin soon. It had been below freezing for three nights in a row, which meant she had spent extra time at the Gym. Water Pokemon didn’t deal well with freezing temperatures, and she had to ensure the Goldeen tank didn’t freeze overnight, that the Horsea and Seadra were fine, and -- of course -- that Gyarados was in good shape. 

Daisy had told her, long ago, to “just put them back in their Pokeballs.” That “they’ll need less maintenance there.” At first, Misty had agreed, but she had witnessed first-hand what living outside of a Pokeball could do for a Pokemon’s well being. Ever since then, she had preferred to have Water Pokemon out and about, in tanks, swimming in the pool, as free from constraints as they could be. 

That also meant that, during the winter months, she practically had to live at the Gym.

It wasn’t that she missed traveling with Ash. While she had fond memories of their adventures through Kanto and Johto, she knew her true home was in Cerulean City. And she kept in touch with Ash all the time: every time he upgraded equipment, she made sure she had the latest edition. They didn’t talk all the time, as he was usually preparing for a battle or eating too much food or saving the world from Team Rocket (again), but Misty was no longer afraid.

She had been afraid, years and years ago, when he had first set out for Hoenn and met this girl with a Torchic. The television announcers in Pallet had gone on and on for months about “how cute they looked together” and “was there something between them?” Instead of replacing another smashed television, Daisy decided just to cancel their television subscription.

She had met May during the Togepi Festival, and rather than continue to hold hostility, she realized May didn’t have a romantic feeling for Ash in her entire body. They were just friends, and she became friend with her, then Dawn, then Iris and Cilan. She hadn't met Serena yet, but while Serena and Ash actually had history, Misty already knew Serena wasn't a romantic rival.

A couple of snowflakes hit the windowpane, and Misty got up from her chair to look outside. Sure enough, the snow had finally begun, and with temperatures like this it would be impossible to travel in a few hours. Misty then looked over at the blankets she had gathered, the old Pokestar movies she had collected on her computer, the hot chocolate mix stored in copious amounts. 

She was ready for this storm. If only her partner in crime would arrive on time!

The first year he had been away, Ash had visited Pallet Town on Christmas -- and had made a stop by Cerulean City, albeit brief. Misty had felt honored that she got to spend a little Christmas with him, and assumed that he would be too busy the next year to come home. Except he wasn’t. Every year, he would come back to Cerulean City with a new Christmas present for Misty: a plaque from his exploits at Ever Grande; a scarf from Snowpoint; the recipe for a Casteliacone. And he always arrived alone, save for Pikachu and a Flying-type Pokemon to get him around Kanto. 

It was the year he had brought the Casteliacones that he had finally come to his senses. Misty hadn’t believed her own ears: the same boy who, so many years ago, had ruined her bike was confessing his love to her. He had sat on her rug, in front of the fire while Pikachu was distracted with ketchup, and explained to Misty that he missed her, that nobody else could take her place. And she had accepted his confession through happy tears, in shock that this day had finally come, even when she thought it never would --

Knock, knock, knock. Thank Arceus. She got up from her spot and ran over to the door, opening it. 

Ash Ketchum stood in front of her, unchanged from his years of traveling, Pikachu still on his head. He was wearing a heavier coat than normal, due to the weather, but he still had that normal smile on his face, the smile that said he could overcome anything and anyone for his goals. She no longer waited for him to come through the door, pulling him into her arms, safe at home once more.

“You miss me?” he asked with a smile on his face.

Misty simply laughed. “Come in, come in.” 

They sat for a while, and Misty made hot chocolate, retrieving a bottle of ketchup from the refrigerator for Pikachu. They stayed up all night, Ash telling Misty about the Prism Tower and the faulty robot inside of it he had to defeat. Misty, in return, gave Ash stories about flood control and breeding Staryu and new challengers. 

And then, “Oh, Lily’s getting married, by the way.”

Ash put down his hot chocolate. “Really?”

“Yeah, to Dorian! Remember him? From the Coastline Gym near Blackthorne. He finally popped the question after, what, three years? My guess is that they’ll tie the knot in the summer.” Misty relaxed, sipping. “Of course you’ll be invited, so make note of it.”

“Misty.” Ash patted Pikachu on the head as he passed by. “You realize that I’m not ready to ask you yet.”

It made her stop. She put down her own cocoa. “I know. I mean -- I wasn’t trying to bring that up, really! I mean, I know I’ve asked you before, and I go on and on about the big white dress and the flowers and the guests and all that --” She found herself blushing before she could stop. This wasn’t how she wanted this night to turn out at all. 

“No, I know that.” Ash smiled at her. “All I mean is that, when I’m ready to come home -- for good -- that’s when I’ll ask you. I don’t want you to wait on me while I go around the world. That’s crazy, and you know that.”

“That’s as crazy as expecting you to actually pay me back for my bike.” Misty sipped her hot chocolate again. All those years, and he still hadn’t paid her back.

“Actually --” and Misty heard that chuckle she had learned to love over the years. “When I’m ready to stay, I’ll bike up to the Gym in the shiniest, most beautiful bike ever. And I promise it’ll be covered with Caterpie and Weedle.”

Misty choked. “You wouldn’t dare --!!!”

“Of course not, who do you take me for --” Ash narrowly ducked as Misty threw a pillow at him. He put his cup down, morphing back into the ten-year-old who had left Pallet on a journey and, before all else, had found Misty. “You’re gonna pay for that!”

She ducked, and then, they went to war. Pikachu hid under the kitchen table with his ketchup while Ash and Misty paraded around the living room in their socks, swinging pillows and causing Pidgey feathers to go every which way. She stepped forward to sock him again and slipped, reaching out and taking him down with her.

They hit the ground with a thump, and before Misty knew what was happening, Ash was kissing her. She felt the initial rush -- my goodness, it’s been so long -- and then felt his arms go around her. Every movement, every breath was exactly as she had dreamed about, alone in her bed on nights when she missed him too much. Her body yearned for his, for the communication that a screen couldn’t provide. 

With him, she was complete. And she would wait as long as it took for him to come home, as long as she could have Christmas in his arms.

“You know, I’ve been waiting to do that ever since I got in the door,” Ash said, sitting up with Misty still in his arms. He let go with one arm and reached for his backpack, pulling something out of the front. “Before I forget. I got this while in Lumiose, but it’s actually from Anistar, another city in the east.”

Misty took the small box from Ash, opening it without waiting. Inside was a small pink gem heart, on a golden chain. “Oh, Ash…”

“Do you like it? They say that gem pieces like this one rain down from the sky while the sundial in Anistar goes through its daily operation. I thought it would be perfect for you.”

“It is.” She leaned against his shoulder and kissed his cheek. “You really are something special, you know that?”

“I’m only special because you make me out to be.”

“Oh, I doubt that.” Misty wouldn’t fight with Ash about how many Legendary Pokemon he had dealt with over the years. She put the chain around her neck, looking out the nearby window at the snow coming down. In just a short bit, they would be snowed in...and then things would get really interesting. Without Daisy, Lily, or Violet to bug her (as they were all on vacation), Misty could get down to some real fun with Ash.

“You know, if I spent Christmas anywhere else, it just wouldn’t feel right.” 

Misty turned toward Ash. “You think so?”

“Well, yeah. It’s just tradition to be here with you.” He smiled again and kissed her. “Merry Christmas, Misty.”

She smiled back, home truly where the heart was. “Merry Christmas, Ash.”


End file.
